Anyone know the proper finish for IDAs?, To dip or not to dip, that is the question |
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Anyone know the proper finish for IDAs?, To dip or not to dip, that is the question |
lesorubcheek |
Nov 2 2022, 11:09 AM
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#1
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Member Group: Members Posts: 193 Joined: 21-April 21 From: Florida Member No.: 25,463 Region Association: South East States |
Decided it was a good time to do some prep work on the carbs. They had been painted with Eastwood carburetor paint for over 20 years and actually looked OK, but decided they needed to be finished correctly. Stripped the paint and now they're down to bare
So, started looking for pics of IDAs, and found many that looked like zinc with no passivation, some were a deep golden dichromate, and some were a lighter shade. Does anyone know how these would look as new from the late 60s, early 70s? Dan |
56kabrio |
Nov 2 2022, 01:13 PM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 54 Joined: 1-December 05 From: Nashville, TN Member No.: 5,219 Region Association: None |
Decided it was a good time to do some prep work on the carbs. They had been painted with Eastwood carburetor paint for over 20 years and actually looked OK, but decided they needed to be finished correctly. Stripped the paint and now they're down to bare zinc. So, started looking for pics of IDAs, and found many that looked like zinc with no passivation, some were a deep golden dichromate, and some were a lighter shade. Does anyone know how these would look as new from the late 60s, early 70s? Dan Here's a link to a YouTube video showing an over the top restoration of triple barrel Webers. Hope this helps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXRW_9-DyAY Mack |
mb911 |
Nov 2 2022, 01:32 PM
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#3
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 6,850 Joined: 2-January 09 From: Burlington wi Member No.: 9,892 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
Alodine is the correct method. Used primarily in aviation
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lesorubcheek |
Nov 2 2022, 02:10 PM
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#4
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Member Group: Members Posts: 193 Joined: 21-April 21 From: Florida Member No.: 25,463 Region Association: South East States |
Here's a link to a YouTube video showing an over the top restoration of triple barrel Webers. Hope this helps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXRW_9-DyAY Mack Very nice video Mack. Thanks for sharing the link. I'm more interested in the "correct" metal plating the carbs would have came with. Looks like in the video it's left bare. Maybe he said, but I didn't listen to it all, just skimmed to see if he did any type of plating. Alodine is the correct method. Used primarily in aviation Ben, from the bit of plating research, I thought alodine was mainly used on aluminum? I thought the Webers would be a zinc based alloy, maybe containing some aluminum, like zamak. Most zinc based carbs seem like are plated using blends of dichromates, at least from what I've researched. Are you sure specifically about these carbs? I'd love some references to find out exactly what I'm dealing with. Thanks, Dan |
nditiz1 |
Nov 2 2022, 04:36 PM
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#5
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,187 Joined: 26-May 15 From: Mount Airy, Maryland Member No.: 18,763 Region Association: MidAtlantic Region |
You may want to watch Klassik auto training school on YouTube. Kurt goes over the finish. I can't remember his process on redoing them. You could also ask Paul Abbott from performance oriented.
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lesorubcheek |
Nov 2 2022, 05:36 PM
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#6
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Member Group: Members Posts: 193 Joined: 21-April 21 From: Florida Member No.: 25,463 Region Association: South East States |
You may want to watch Klassik auto training school on YouTube. Kurt goes over the finish. I can't remember his process on redoing them. You could also ask Paul Abbott from performance oriented. Thanks for that! Unfortunately in the Klassik vid on carbs, looks like he is only cleaning, not performing actual plating, and sounds like he'll likely use cerokote from what I heard. Talks like he'd send parts out for plating, or did until prices became too high. He also refers to the carbs as being aluminum, but I'm about 80% sure these things are a zinc alloy, not just aluminum. Oh well. Dan |
Superhawk996 |
Nov 2 2022, 05:59 PM
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#7
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,812 Joined: 25-August 18 From: Woods of N. Idaho Member No.: 22,428 Region Association: Galt's Gulch |
I think there are some references to them being die cast aluminum in Haynes or The bird - saw that somewhere. But like you, I’ve assumed they have some zinc content since they often get chromate coating by various restoration outfits. Die cast parts with Al / Zn alloy are not uncommon.
I’ve never had a new set of NOS IDAs in my hands but I’m sure my new Italian made Weber IDFs were not yellow chromate. To me it seems the castings were probably left raw. If anything was in there it was very light / clear and didn’t resist the casting turning a dark gray over about a year time. Can’t imagine they were doing anything radically different for IDA3C’s. Almost any picture I see of them is a silver / gray body. |
lesorubcheek |
Nov 2 2022, 07:30 PM
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#8
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Member Group: Members Posts: 193 Joined: 21-April 21 From: Florida Member No.: 25,463 Region Association: South East States |
I think there are some references to them being die cast aluminum in Haynes or The bird - saw that somewhere. But like you, I’ve assumed they have some zinc content since they often get chromate coating by various restoration outfits. Die cast parts with Al / Zn alloy are not uncommon. I’ve never had a new set of NOS IDAs in my hands but I’m sure my new Italian made Weber IDFs were not yellow chromate. To me it seems the castings were probably left raw. If anything was in there it was very light / clear and didn’t resist the casting turning a dark gray over about a year time. Can’t imagine they were doing anything radically different for IDA3C’s. Almost any picture I see of them is a silver / gray body. Thanks for the help Superhawk. Yes, I also see some references saying they're aluminum and some saying they're zinc allow. I wish there was an easy test, but I don't want to file any part off just to do an acid dip test, and I can't really use weight as a means either since I'd be guessing. Starting to wish I'd just left them painted with that tacky looking carb paint from Eastwood. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) Dan |
Superhawk996 |
Nov 2 2022, 07:33 PM
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#9
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,812 Joined: 25-August 18 From: Woods of N. Idaho Member No.: 22,428 Region Association: Galt's Gulch |
Noooooo! They look great right now - raw. I’m 1000 % sure they weren’t painted - LOL
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Front yard mechanic |
Nov 2 2022, 08:00 PM
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#10
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,162 Joined: 23-July 15 From: New Mexico Member No.: 18,984 Region Association: None |
Was going to suggest this but everyone is against paint
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lesorubcheek |
Nov 2 2022, 08:15 PM
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#11
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Member Group: Members Posts: 193 Joined: 21-April 21 From: Florida Member No.: 25,463 Region Association: South East States |
Noooooo! They look great right now - raw. I’m 1000 % sure they weren’t painted - LOL (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I may just do that. Agree they do look good bare. Even though this is only a planned six conversion in a '74, just kinda wanted the carbs to be, well, correct. Hey, all this talk about fuel injection lately has be thinking I need to go with some ITBs and a megasquirt or something anyway, so probably just overthinking it. Dan |
lesorubcheek |
Nov 2 2022, 08:17 PM
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#12
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Member Group: Members Posts: 193 Joined: 21-April 21 From: Florida Member No.: 25,463 Region Association: South East States |
Was going to suggest this but everyone is against paint (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) The good stuff! and it is lacquer so should be fairly fuel resistant. Dan |
Beach914 |
Nov 2 2022, 09:21 PM
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#13
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 964 Joined: 28-March 10 From: Aliso Viejo Member No.: 11,519 Region Association: Southern California |
I just picked up a pair of bare idtp bodies and will probably just try soda blasting them on the outside to bring back the cast finish. Theyll probably oxidize again over time but at least theyll be clean during the rebuild.
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Bullethead |
Nov 2 2022, 09:34 PM
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#14
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Oil Cooled heart Group: Members Posts: 897 Joined: 24-June 10 From: South Florida Member No.: 11,875 Region Association: South East States |
Finished my last two sets with Gibbs... I've had NOS Webers for both BMW and Porsche, and as far as I could tell there was nothing on them but maybe Cosmoline. That will go amber over time.
This is kinda like fan finishes... dozens of opinions on what's correct, but the simplest answer is probably the right one. YMMV |
lesorubcheek |
Nov 3 2022, 08:08 AM
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#15
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Member Group: Members Posts: 193 Joined: 21-April 21 From: Florida Member No.: 25,463 Region Association: South East States |
I just picked up a pair of bare idtp bodies and will probably just try soda blasting them on the outside to bring back the cast finish. Theyll probably oxidize again over time but at least theyll be clean during the rebuild. Sounds like the consensus is for bare finish. Thanks for the input. Finished my last two sets with Gibbs... I've had NOS Webers for both BMW and Porsche, and as far as I could tell there was nothing on them but maybe Cosmoline. That will go amber over time. This is kinda like fan finishes... dozens of opinions on what's correct, but the simplest answer is probably the right one. YMMV Russ, always impressed to see your work and appreciate your input. At work I was a big believer in the KISS principle, and thanks for the reminder it applies here as well. And thanks for the reminder my Gibbs supply is running low, time to order some more. Dan |
scottsilvertt |
Nov 3 2022, 08:25 AM
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#16
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scottsilvertt Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: 17-May 06 From: South East USA Member No.: 6,019 Region Association: South East States |
here are images from the Abbott site.
seems like a guy who tries to get things really nice many more photos of each on his site http://www.performanceoriented.com/index#/...c-for-1970-9146 |
mb911 |
Nov 3 2022, 08:57 AM
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#17
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 6,850 Joined: 2-January 09 From: Burlington wi Member No.: 9,892 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
Here's a link to a YouTube video showing an over the top restoration of triple barrel Webers. Hope this helps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXRW_9-DyAY Mack Very nice video Mack. Thanks for sharing the link. I'm more interested in the "correct" metal plating the carbs would have came with. Looks like in the video it's left bare. Maybe he said, but I didn't listen to it all, just skimmed to see if he did any type of plating. Alodine is the correct method. Used primarily in aviation Ben, from the bit of plating research, I thought alodine was mainly used on aluminum? I thought the Webers would be a zinc based alloy, maybe containing some aluminum, like zamak. Most zinc based carbs seem like are plated using blends of dichromates, at least from what I've researched. Are you sure specifically about these carbs? I'd love some references to find out exactly what I'm dealing with. Thanks, Dan Yes positive. Paul abbott and I discussed it extensively. I bought some from aircraft spruce but just never used it. |
Bullethead |
Nov 3 2022, 09:01 AM
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#18
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Oil Cooled heart Group: Members Posts: 897 Joined: 24-June 10 From: South Florida Member No.: 11,875 Region Association: South East States |
Thanks, Dan... FWIW, the top image is of the engine from my '67S, original matching carbs rebuilt by Paul. Bottom is of my old 6, built by Bruce Ellsworth. Gibbs on both.
Also agree with Ben, Alodine is correct. |
lesorubcheek |
Nov 3 2022, 09:40 AM
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#19
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Member Group: Members Posts: 193 Joined: 21-April 21 From: Florida Member No.: 25,463 Region Association: South East States |
here are images from the Abbott site. seems like a guy who tries to get things really nice many more photos of each on his site http://www.performanceoriented.com/index#/...c-for-1970-9146 Thanks for that. These illustrate why I'm confused in the first place. Some look bare and some obviously passivated. The IDAs they show look bare, so yet another example to keep them unfinished. Yes positive. Paul abbott and I discussed it extensively. I bought some from aircraft spruce but just never used it. Thanks Ben. I was really thinking these things were a zinc alloy, but guess I was wrong. It helps make the decision to leave them unfinished easier. I've had enough fun getting up to speed with zinc plating and don't feel like diving into aluminum with zincate, alodine and all that stuff just yet. Thanks, Dan... FWIW, the top image is of the engine from my '67S, original matching carbs rebuilt by Paul. Bottom is of my old 6, built by Bruce Ellsworth. Gibbs on both. Also agree with Ben, Alodine is correct. Beautiful engines Russ. And it sounds more and more like the carbs are aluminum after all. Dan |
Jett |
Nov 3 2022, 09:46 AM
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#20
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,637 Joined: 27-July 14 From: Seattle Member No.: 17,686 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Just had these restored …
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